Not Just A Burglar
by TheAtaniBookWorm
Summary: In the Shire, it was a time of monarchy. Instead of the Thain, they had a king. King of Hobbits, a ruler of a barely known race. That is, until a meddling wizard comes into said king's life and offers a quest that could save his indangerd kingdom.
1. Chapter 1

~ The Offer

Chapter 1

It was peaceful, bright and sunny day in the kingdom. Of course that was normal. Gandalf could not remember a time when the Shire was not in a sunny and bright state. His visits these days were growing rare for he was busy with problems that needed to be attended to as a wizard. Though he always missed the Shire kingdom.

The beautiful sight of the flowers that you could see everywhere, kids running around playing happily without a care in the world, the mouth watering scent of pie or other pastries on the window still of hobbit houses, the polite and good mannerd locals that were always up for a chat and the cheery chirps of birds that lived in the healthy wild life of the Shire.

Yes, nothing has changed, he thought with a smile forming on his lips.

His eyes trailed over the houses of the locals to the firm structure of small buildings inside bigger hills of craftsmen and blacksmiths to the market were numerous food and delicasies were being sold or baught to the tall watch tower that reached to the sky and then landed on the center of the entire Shire kingdom. The royal castle.

That was where he needed to go. The reason he was here was in there. Passing by a few locals who waved at him -which he happily returned- but looked rather nervous. Probably because he was not considerd a good person to be seen around here mainly because it would mean something bad was going to happen. He was known to be a distruptor of peace but it paid off for the fireworks he made.

A few years ago, he rememberd coming here more oftenly. The locals didn't know it but this was were he came to relax, to heal before he went back into the dark world of men, dwarves, orcs etc. The Shire was a place like no other. It was one of a kind and he saught to protect it. That was why rangers were there, to watch over the borders of the kingdom of hobbits.

The Shire kingdom was special because it was content. It had no need for power or the desire for gold and other valuable solid object. No, they care not for any of those unlike the greedy man and dwarves. They cared for good food, good company and a good home. And they valued good manners as well. Hobbits were known for their hospitality.

A couple of children came running up to him and surrounded him, pulling his robe and asking if he could show them some of his fireworks or other cool magic tricks. He had to refused softly though because of the mission he was trying to focus on but those pleading eyes won him over enough to promise he would show them a few tricks later. They cheered and continued their game. He sighed but looked fondly at the fauntlings.

You can never resist the pleading eyes of a hobbit fauntling much less a dozen of them gatherd around you.

Anyway the Shire was different, hobbits were different. They weren't greedy, rude or people who just stood by and did nothing. They may look no use in the battle field but the world didn't know much about the race of hobbits, just that they were people who didn't like to go outside their homes, perferd a peacful lifestyle and ate a lot but if you had been in the Shire or worked as a ranger, you would know that was not the entire truth.

As he walked through the path leading to the castle, he noticed something coming his way. As it grew closer he recognized what it was. A pack of castle bounders. They rode on animals the were a mix breed of wolves and wargs, they rode on saddles and wore speacial armor with their weapones seathed and their huge feet bear. There were about a whole pack of them, they rode in two lines with one -who was obviously the captain- leading the two lines.

They saw Gandalf and began to ride slowly and eventualy stopped infront of him. The captain took off her helmet and smiled brightly at the old wizard. She was about his hieght now that she sat on her warg-wolf like ride. She had spicey brown hair tighed up into a high curly ponytail, her elf-like ears exposed openly, deep blue eyes that were hard and weary but were gentle when they looked at him, her feet bear, big and had spicey brown hair to match, she had a scar on her left cheek and wore red armor that only coverd her chest, stomache, waist and shoulders.

Her spear was seathed on her back looking so scarily sharp the wizard tried not to step a few inches back but gave the female captain a warm smile.

"Sylvia! My dear, how do you fair?"

Said hobbit slid down from her saddle and wrapped her small arms around her old freind but despite them being small Gandalf felt like he was getting squeezed a little hard. She had muscular arms that were exposed and could be seen clearly in daylight.

"I fair well old freind, how about you?" She pulled away "How were the adventures? Old age isn't getting to you right?" She teased.

Gandalf huffed but the fondness in his eyes showed he was not in the slightest bit offended.

"I fair well Captain Sylvia, the adventures were good and no, old age may never get to me and you should get used to it" he said chuckling in the end.

Sylvia joined in and said "Oh please, no need with the captain thing! What brings you to the Shire kingdom? I do hope you are here to visit"

Gandalf sighed, he had hoped so too but business is business and he needed to do this. No matter how hard and risky it might he. The company needed their fourteenth member and he had the responsibility of choosing that member.

"Sadly no, I am here to see him" he said seriously and almost in a hush tone.

The smile on Sylvia's face faded "Oh dear, is something the matter?" She asked though hiding the worry and replaced it with a suspicious expression.

Gandalf shook his head "I can't answer questions here Lady Sylvia, do you mind escorting me to the castle?"

She nodded looking worried but tried to show a faint smile "Certainly, come" she said and got on her ride and patted the spot behind her looking at the grey wizard.

Gandalf got on the warg-wolf like thing and it did not even look fazed of the new addition of weigh on its back. Sylvia petted its head amd stroked it fur affectionatley.

"Come on Kiki, let's head back to the castle" she said sweetly and 'Kiki' purred and turned around.

They rode back towards the castle followed by the other bounders. The closer they got to the castle, the bigger it got. The walls shined brightly under the rays of the sun and stood firmly on the lush green ground. Elegant and strong, that was what it looked like.

"It seems the kingdom has not changed since I last visited" he said sounding nostalgic as he gazed at the place they were heading and closing in fast.

The creatures they rode on were fast and from how it moved intelligent as it manuverd its way through the road and some boulders on the way. The ones behind them maintained perfect formation and looked in perfect ease following the one infront of them.

Sylvia nodded her head "Yes, we have been in total peace in these long long years but..." she trailed off her eyes darkening.

Gandalf narrowed his eyes, frowning he asked "But? But what Lady Sylvia?"

She hesitated, she had a thoughtful look for a moment as if wondering if she really should tell him and then she focused her attention on the path infront of her.

"I'll tell you once we get to the castle" she mutterd to him.

That did not help Gandalf from feeling worried as she was. They road to the destined place in silence. The wind and the creatures they rode on made the only sounds.

When they made it to the castle Gandalf got off of the ride and gazed at the brilliant architecture of the place. It was brilliant and grand like any castle should be but there were no statues -hobbit people were too modest for that- but the flowers blooming were enough to be marveled at. The size of the place was equivalent to that of a giant mansion and if you compare that to a hobbit's size it would definitely be considerd huge. He could actually go in there and not need to crouch down!

He, along with Lady Sylvia went up the steps to the large doors of the castle that was gaurded by two knights on white armor with golden edges and held polished lances in one hand and a sword seathed on their waists.

They had helmets on the were made of iorn and had a T shape hole to see and breath through.

"Let us pass you two" Sylvia orderd.

The two hobbit knights pushed the door open and stepped aside to let them pass. They bowed respectfuly to the two of them. Gandalf could see they weren't that old and had unruly cruly brown hair sticking out of their helmets.

The two walked in and faced -even to someone with the same hieght as his- wide room which was suitable to have balls held in. There was a stair case leading up to the second floor. A red carpet was strewn underneath their feet and went up the stairs. The floor looked newly mopped and waxed, shined, the vases polished, the wooden furniture and pointings in the room showed no speck of dust on them, the chandelere above them also radiated with cleanliness.

Everything looked as if it was cleaned five times before being left alone then after a few hours cleaned once again. Gandalf had to chuckle, hobbits. They were obsessed with keeping things neat, organized and presentable which meant even a single speck of dust was unacceptable. And they thought other races were ridiculouse or exaggerated.

Then they noticed someone descending down from the stair case. It was an adult male hobbit. Dressed in a fine silk coat, lined with bronze hemming, he wore no jewelry except a golden ring on his left index finger and a bronze medallion chained to his hip. His earthly brown eyes never left the two as he came down. He had the distinguished looks and air around him.

"My Lord Saradoc" Gandalf greeted bowing "You look well"

"I am and so are you by the looks of it" he said and bowed respectfuly "It seems one can not have a break of his adventures" he added heartily.

"It seems"

Saradoc glanced at Sylvia who returned the glance with a grimace and the worry was seen evidently in the brown eyes of the male hobbit. He immediately hid it when he turned to Gandalf.

"I see you have something urgent to accomplish, may I ask what?" He asked politely.

"I seek for a meeting with the king of the Shire" he said and for a moment there, they knew they saw regret in the old wizard's eyes.

The two hobbits shared a quick look at each other before Saradoc nodded and gestured them to follow him. They climbed up the stair case and they heard the giant oak doors behind them close shut. They passed through a long narrow hall way and would often see a servant cleaning or passing by, if there were any slackers they would instantly start doing something when they caught a glimpse of Saradoc near the area.

"Sire would be in the middle of his afternoon tea, I would never disturb him at this time but if it is an emergancy..." Saradoc trailed off brushing away the light brown locks from his hair.

"Thank you for your sacrifice, it really is important" Gandalf said giving the brunette a grateful look.

"It's fine Gandalf, sire likes some company during his tea time" Sylvia assured him as she walked next to Saradoc.

They arrived in front of large round like door made of heavy oak wood and gaurded by two knights who looked much older and buffer than the other two at the entrance. Saradoc said something to them in a language Gandalf recognized as the hobbit's mother tongue.

He understood the language and spoke it fluently as he had stayed in the kingdom from tome to time. It turns out that what Saradoc said was some password.

"Keep thy courage in thou's heart and may thy brandish good manners and our values"

The gaurds nodded and pushed open the heavy door easily. Saradoc walked in head held high and Gandalf and Sylvia followed after him. They heard the door shut behind them and faced a wide tunnel, sunlight was shining at the end of the tunnel and he could smell flowers from here to the end of the tunnel. The tunnel was made of bricks and Saradoc kept walking towards the end of the tunnel followed by Sylvia and then Gandalf.

When they reached the end and came out the tunnel their eyes met the sight of a large beautiful garden filled with flowers of variouse colors and kinds. There was a patch of soil in there that had vegetables growing looking in perfect health and condition. The grass was as just as green as the grass in the other garden's in the Shire. Birds flew by along with some butterflies.

In the middle of the breath taking garden was a small table and someone sitting on a porch smoking on a pipe and blowing out some smoke rings. Warm tea was set on the table along with a few buiscuts that looked freshly baked. The man on the porch didn't seem to notice them as they stood there. He was gazing at the blue sky above them looking almost in a trance. His back was facing them so his face was not shown. His golden brown curly hair and the brilliantly made crown made of oak wood and weaved in vines.

Saradoc spoke first "Sire" he called.

The king of the Shire turned his head to see them after he heard Saradoc called him. His face contorted with surprise when his eyes spotted the old grey wizard. He got up from his porch and faced the three .

"Gandalf? Gandalf the wandering wizard?!" He splutterd.

Gandalf bowed deeply with respect "Your majesty" he smiled proudly "It seems I haven't been totaly forgotten, of course I do have quite memoriable characteristic-"

"-the one who made such excellent fireworks!" The king said excitedly.

There was a pause of silence between the four in the garden, the birds seemed to have went quiet as silence reigned the garden for the moment. The quietness ended when there was a sound of snickering and giggling coming from the two hobbits who tried their best to cover their amusement but their shaking shoulders gave it all away.

The king stared at his two subjects in confusion as to why they were reacting like this. Gandalf merely stared at the king of hobbits trying to believe he really did just recognize him for his fireworks and not that he was the person who visited the Shire the most and was an old freind of his mother.

Sylvia was covering her mouth to hide her huge grin and hugged her aching stomache, her giggling was still very audiable. Saradoc looked the other way to also hide the grin on his mouth that also threatend to let out a fit of laughter that he was trying to hide. His shoulders were shaking and his snickering was the only thing he didn't bother to hide.

"Well at least you rememberd me for something" Gandalf huffed pulling out his pipe "Even if it is just my fireworks"

"What brings you here Master Gandalf?" The king asked curiously.

"Ah that, well I have an offer to propose" the old wizard answerd and litted his pipe before saying "An offer for you, Bilbo Baggins, king of the Shire, son of Belladonna Took and Bungo Baggins"


	2. Chapter 2

~More Than Just Unexpected

Chapter 2

Bilbo Baggins, king of the Shire, son of both Belladonna Took and Bungo Baggins. He stood courtly, his hands together. His features were soft yet refined. He gestured Gandalf to sit and the wizard obliged. Saradoc and Sylvia stood near to hear what this aleged 'offer' was. They watched like hawks as the old wizard took his seat next to their highness.

"This offer, what is it?" The hobbit king questioned genuinly curious.

"I would like someone to join me on an adventure" said the bearded wizard smoking his pipe.

"An adventure?"

Saradoc and Sylvia exchanged suspicious looks. They did not like where this was going. Not at all. Still, they kept themselves from interrupting the two sitting on the porch and bit their tongues. All the while, they listened intently to the conversation.

"Yes, one that I need of someone special"

"Special? Gandalf, I may be king but I am no special hobbit" Bilbo Baggins pointed out.

Gandalf made a skeptical look and raised a brow "Are you? You Bilbo are the only son of two of the most powerful clans" he said "Your father, Bungo Baggins, eldest of the Baggins clan, the most dignified, respectable and refined hobbit clan and looked highly at" he blew out a ring of smoke and continued "Then your mother, Belladonna Took, eldest of the Took clan, the most valiant, stalwart and not to mention adventurouse clan there is here"

Bilbo looked away thinking of his two parents. He was a child of the two clans the Shire saw honorable and special. His father was the previous king of the Shire kingdom since the Baggins clan was seen as the most fitting leaders and his mother was the leader of the Took clan, one of the warrior clans who protected the kingdom while some of the Tooks went outside the Shire to see the world and come back after their adventures to give information on the outside world just in case. His mom had went on many adventures before she finaly caught the eye of the king, his father. Later then, she was queen of all the Shire.

"You do know I am a king" Bilbo mutterd "I have a duty here in the Shire"

Gandalf nodded solemnly "I know that very well, I wouldn't have asked you if there was absolutely no other hobbit for the job" he explained.

"No other hobbit? Gandalf what is this adventure about?" Bilbo demanded.

"One that was suppost to be for your mother"

Bilbo froze. Along with the two other hobbits listening to them. Bilbo was taken back from shock. He stared at the old wizard with surprised wide emerald eyes. He was not expecting his mother to have something to do with this. But it made sense, she was a pure Took, and she went on many adventures and was the hobbit lass who travelled the farthest than all of the Took clan.

"How does this involve my mother?" Bilbo asked now glaring at Gandalf for some answers.

"It did involve her but now that she is no longer able too, you are the only suitable one left" Gandalf looked at the sky, he felt him missing the hobbit lass again.

Bilbo was thoughtful before saying to Gandalf "How did you know her?"

"That was years ago, I was resting under a tree when she was passing by and thought she could steal my staff" he chuckle looking both sad and happy at the same time "I woke up before she could get it and so she settled for taking my hat instead" he laughed at the memory "I remember she gave me quite the chase, I chased her all the way to the borders of the Shire, by the end of the day we were having tea at her house"

The hobbit king chuckled to himself. It sounded like something his mother would do. She was a very bold lass, not to mention fast. Sylvia gave a sad smile remembering Belladonna. It was when she met Gandalf when she walked in on Belladonna and him arguing on who would take the blame for the giant crater on the borders of the Shire that was made by an incoming boulder. She was orderd to keep an eye on those two and in the middle of that process she grew fond of both of them.

"She then on, went on many adventures with me which took her to the farthest places a hobbit has ever travelled before" Gandalf continued "It was in the last adventure of hers that she made me promise to have her offspring -you, to be her subtitute on the one adventure I had just offered if she was not able to"

"S-she made you promise that?" Bilbo ponderd on what he had just been told. Her mother probably wanted her child to have an adventure like every Took child.

"Yes, and if she was not able to come with in the adventure, if she had...passed on somehow..." Gandalf pulled something out from his pouch "She told me to give you this"

The old wizard held what looked like a letter and it was hastily plucked out from his hand by the hobbit king. He opened the letter clumsily and read through what was written. When he saw the handwriting it was confirmed: it was his mother who wrote it with no doubt.

Dear My Precious Child,

If you are reading this, it means I am sadly in the other side but I know you can uphold the position of head of the Took clan. As a Took, I know you will be strong and with out a doubt make me proud. You have probably met Gandalf and yes, I really did want you to go on this adventure if I couldn't, please understand that there is something about this adventure that might change your life and many others. I knew, no one but a Took can accomplish this and you are as the heir of the Took clan can do it.

From,

Your Mother

P.S: Make sure to pack everything you need, especially a handkerchief

P.S.S: And ask that blasted wizard about the adventure IN DETAIL! and be prepared for any surprises, it would most likely be caused by some meddling wizard.

The hobbit king almost spilled some tears in the middle of reading the letter from his beloved mother that was now deceased but smiled faintly at the end. His two subjects were looking anxious on what was said on that letter and growing even more when they thought of their leader actually leaving for this quest. Gandalf stared expectantly at the son of his old freind.

Bilbo looked up at Gandalf "What is this quest about?" He asked solely.

The old wizard saw from the corner of his eyes that Saradoc and Sylvia had stiffened. They saw the look in their king's eyes and knew he was considering this 'adventure' he was offered or was probably already planning what to pack in his head. Each passing moment they grew even more anxious so Gandalf decided to releas them from the suspense.

"NO!"

Gandalf sighed. He had foreseen this coming and already had prepared himself for the consequences. Hopefuly he would still be able to hear properly after this and resist going deaf and stay uninjured. He stared down at the small yet raging form of Sylvia Cornfeed. Her face was red with rage and her eyes were practicaly blazing flames of fire that matched her furious state. If looks could kill...

"Sylvia please, calm dow-"

"Don't 'calm down Sylvia' me! You blasted old wizard, do you realize that his sire is the ONLY direct heir to the throne and our KING?!" She yelled.

Saradoc stepped in but he was more calm and controled than the angry redhead but he still had that stern and serious look that was pointed at Gandalf.

"Captain as much as I dislike this as much as you do, I agree with Gandalf, calm down" he turned to Gandalf "Master Gandalf, the captain is right; My king is more important than anyone else in this kingdom, if he leaves, then we would be leaderless and vulnerable" he said coldly.

"But-"

"Not mention the very fact he could DIE! What then? Hm?! We would have to make those cursed Sackville-Baggins our royal family! You hear me!? SACKVILLE - BAGGINS!" Sylvia roared.

Bilbo swore everyone in the castle heared that. He wonderd how he could calm her down this time. Whenever Sylvia Cornfeed got this made, it did not end pretty. Literaly, they were still fixing the damage she had done and that was three months ago! Though he had to agree about the whole thing about the Sackville's ruling. He shudderd at the thought. His relatives have been after the throne for ages. With trickery or none he was glad Saradoc Brandybuck -his head scribe and right hand man was there to help fend them off.

"But-"

"The king's safety is one of the most important priorities of being a captain! This whole place is fated bad or good on his safety! He can not just go on some wild adventure to RECLAIM EREBOR!"

"Sylvia-"

"Go get some other hobbit who can sneak past a freakin' FIRE BREATHING DRAGON! Better yet let me do it!"

"Captain Sylvia Cornfeed stand down!" A voice said with powerful booming authority.

Heads turned to look at the frustrated hobbit king who after one secont returned his composure. His eyes held that lightning of determination. It made him look like a certain hobbit lass with similar emerald eyes that always held that lightning of determination. It made some sadness wash over Gandalf as he saw them.

"Sire, this is madness!" Sylvia continued.

"You must not go!" Saradoc added.

"Just listen you two!" snapped Bilbo "My mother wanted me to do this, she claimed I was the only one who can do this, and as a Took this is manditory"

"This is foolish my king" Saradoc pleaded "Who would lead in your place when you are gone?"

"Drogo is a Baggins so he can be temporarily in charge of the kingdom" Bilbo answerd swiftly "He is eligible"

"Do you actually think we are just going to let the only son of Bungo Baggins go on some life or death journey?! What if you die? What about the Shire? You can't be that careless" Sylvia protested "Think of your people"

"Yes but think of those people who need help!" Bilbo argued "Those people; homeless, have nothing left but themselves, struggling to live, who wander around in the wilderness, tell me captain, does that description sound familiar to you?"

Sylvia went silent and in the first moment had a look of surprise but then she grumbled and looked away. She could not answer that but she knew the answer. Every hobbit would know an answer to that question. Saradoc took sudden intrest of the floor.

"Well captain? head scribe?" He looked back and forth at the two. His face held more confidence and strong despite the soft and cute looks he had "I'm sure you both remember those days"

Gandalf knew what they were getting at. He stayed silent throughout the arguement and waited for the result and prayed this whole arguement would finish by tonight. He watched as Bilbo turned his back on the two hobbits. His face was almost distant, his mind was deep in the memories of the past. The time he tried hard to not dwell in and yet not forget.

"The wandering days" he whisperd but it was still heard by the three of them.

Saradoc and Sylvia visibly shiverd. They knew all too well about the wandering days. They were not really there but they had heard the stories from the elders and when they were told, they had trouble sleeping for a while. But the entire kingdom had suffered from the past. Because the past came and hit them in the gut.

"Dark, dark days for us hobbits" Bilbo remained looking in the opposite direction of them "Where nothing good ever happend, days of survival and trials" he said and he did his best to not let his voice shake or quiver "When we had no place to call home, when we had nothing left to care for but family, when we faught day and night to live and just wake up the next day to do it all over again, when we thought we would just wander and wander all our lives like outcasts"

He turned back to face them. He stared his determined eyes right at their eyes which had a mix of dozens of emotions.

"Before the Shire, we were just like them"

The head scribe and the captain looked at each other then at their king. His stare was unwavering and they knew that there was no persuading him out of this.

Sylvia spoke "Why you?"

Bilbo thought about it and answerd after a brief moment "I am the son of Belladonna Took, it has to be me" he said "She trained me remember?"

Gandalf decided to say something "Just like his mother, Bilbo is cunning, selfless and most importantly" he gave Bilbo a look "His footsteps have no sound, making him near impossible to find when he hides"

Saradoc rubbed his temples and Sylvia sighed as she pinched the bridge of her nose. In unison the two said miserably.

"The elders will not like this"

They weren't expecting this.

Bilbo wasn't expecting this.

It turns out that the journey he planned to go on was not only unexpected. They found that out when they came into audience with the hobbit elders who were the council and advisors of king Bilbo himself. They were about a hundred years olg, wrinkly yet very much alive. They were the wisest in the Shire kingdom and knew more about the hobbit kind than the locals did.

When they explained the whole thing and about his highness going in to a dangerous quest to reclaim a lost kingdom and help another race and possibly awaken a fire breathing dragon they were beyond shocked at what was the reply.

"May your courage help you and your consience guide you then my king" said the oldest one of the three elders as he bowed sincerley.

Saradoc and Sylvia nearly fainted. Even Gandalf looked like he was surprised a little. Bilbo opened and closed his mouth again and again trying to find the words to say but couldn't think of any so he settled for a "What?"

"I wish you luck on your journey sire" said Gráin the eldest of the elders. He knew everything that had happend in hobbit history and was there as an advisor since his great great great great great grandfather's rule and loved to tell how he beheaded the goblin king and invented golf.

The four of them continued to gawk at Gráin and to the other elders Möar and Strato. They were expecting the elders to at least look concerned or try an persuade their sire to not go on this life threatening journey. But no, they just sat in their seats in the council room looking ancient with their hundred year old eyes who had seen the Shire kingdom through the bad and good years.

Sylvia had her eyes wide and mutterd "Has everyone gone mad?"

"Gráin...you are okay with this?" Bilbo asked unsurely still in disbelief.

The white haired hobbit nodded his head "I think it would be the best option..." his face went grim "Given the circumstances"

Bilbo reclined and glanced at Saradoc and Sylvia who both looked at Bilbo with knowing looks. Gandalf on the other hand had raised one eyebrow up. He had no clue as to why the hobbits were suddenly looking uneasy and wary. So he asked.

"And may I ask what these circumstances are Lord Gráin?"

"These circumstances? Did sire not tell you?" Gráin questioned, his head tilted to the side.

"No, I beleive he did not" Gandalf gave a look at the hobbit king who avoided his eyes.

"In that case, permission to tell him myself my king?" Gráin asked Bilbo.

Bilbo waited a moment before nodding his head. Gráin cleared his throat and began to explain.

"We have been experiencing dozens of unusual incidents lately in these past months and they only grow more serious every time, they happen here inside of the kingdom near the woods or even inside the Shire at night"

"Sheep or other animals go missing out of the blue, someone's garden suddenly gets destroyed and we even have a few missing reports of people who were last seen going into the woods"

Gandalf stroked his long beard with a worrisom look in his eyes and wonderd how was this happening. The Shire kingdom never had anything like this happening before. This was no mischeif made by any young hobbits -he knew that much- so he feared it was something else, more serious.

"Do you have any idea on what are causing these things to happen?" He asked the elders and Bilbo.

Bilbo sighed. He gave the old wizard a glance that botherd him and said "We fear we do know what it is"

"And we don't like it" Sylvia added. She crossed her arms and her face hardend as she gave her king a fretting look.

"Yes, we don't" Saradoc mumbled looking downcast. He was sweating, like whenever he was fussing over something or someone.

"Through the evidence we have gatherd and after all the investigating we came into a theory on who or what had been causing these things to happen in the Shire" said Gráin.

All the hobbits in the room gave each other wary looks. This situation was more serious than Gandalf had predicted. Why was he not informed of this sooner?! He could have stopped any of those things from happening. No one harms his hobbits.

"Goblins"

The word itself caused Bilbo to shudder and pale. Saradoc let out a shaky breath and winced. Sylvia kept her eyes that held concern of a mother at Bilbo who really needed to sit down. This was all too much. These past months were not his best. He had been fretting and overworking ever since the problems started to get serious. The Shire never had any of these things happening before and it was starting to scare them. They would lock their doors tight at night and forbade anyone especially the young ones from going anywhere near the woods in fear of getting abducted. Goblins was the only possibility.

"Goblins? Here in the Shire? How could that be?"

"We are not too sure ourselves how they got here but we know for sure they are here and most likely plotting vengence" Strato said for the first time since they came.

"And we know very well what comes next" Möar said gruffly.

"Is there anything you can do about this?" Gandalf asked.

"We know what they are after, they are coming for it" Gráin said. A shadow passed his face "And they know how to acquire it"

Eyes trailed on to land on an emerald eyed, brunette, hobbit king who remained standing tall but evidently unnerved by all the eyes on him. But it wasn't just that. It was the fact that the only way to get what their enemies need... was him. Gandalf got it straightaway.

"I see why you released him so easily"

"It is the only way and king Bilbo knows it as well" Möar nodded dreadfuly.

"I don't want to but if I do stay, I'll be indangering the Shire even further" Bilbo said with placidity "I understand"

"And so do I" Gandalf boomed "I will do my best and get Bilbo back to the kingdom as safe as he can be"

"You better" Sylvia growled.

"Sylvia"

"Just warning him sire" she huffed and Bilbo shook his head.

"Sire" Saradoc said still fretting about his king going away.

"Make sure those Sackville's don't get anywhere near the throne Master Saradoc" Bilbo said smiling faintly trying to reassure his freind.

Bilbo turned to Gandalf.

"When do we start?" He asked bravely.

The old grey wizard put his hands together and gave a mysterious smile.

"Let's say, tomorrow night?"

Because this journey wasn't only unexpected.

It was important.


	3. Chapter 3

~Supper Time

Chapter 3

"That should be it then."

Sylvia bowed to Bilbo before climbing on to her wargon. She was still very much against this whole thing and would rather knock her king out cold so he couldn't go but even she was not that bold and knew better, it was for the best. Even if it was a bit suicidal. She took hold of the reigns and gave one last look at her sire.

"Please come back okay your highness" she requested her tone sad.

Bilbo could only nod. He knew better than to make any promises for fear he could not keep them. Never make promises you can't make. He learned that a long time ago. He will not make that mistake.

Sylvia Cornfeed looked on forward and with one kick, she sped off. Riding on Kiki -her wargon- she rode of towards the castle. Saradoc was making preparations for Drogo's temporary rule. The plan was ready. Saradoc would say the king was immensely ill and no one should come see him for the sickness was highly contagious unless with the right precautions so his cousin Drogo would have to take charge of ruling as he had declared until he would heal from his sickness. Saradoc assured him that any of his pig faced relatives will not get near the throne or Drogo and his family.

The hobbit king waved his old friend and captain farewell. He turned away to face his favorite place of his childhood. Bag End. It was not just any hole in the ground but a hobbit hole which means all the comforts of home. His father had built it for his mother to call her own home since her parents had died and she preferred having her own space. Once they got married it was still taken care of and he came here when he was young and was sick of the castle. The castle was filled with people who always babied him and kept an eye on him, he could never feel free. This place was were he often hanged out.

After his coronation he never had much time to came back here but he tried to make time and come visit. He made sure servants came and dusted and cleaned the place twice a week. So it should still look like it always had.

Grabbing the doorknob he noticed the mark Gandalf had left on the door. It was a mark that would identify this was the place the company would meet so they knew this was the place. Although it irritated him he let it go. Gandalf had left shortly to who knows where but would come back sooner or later.

He came inside his mother's old home and he often considered it as his home also. He took a breath as he looked around the large house of his past. So many memories here, memories of his mother. Her old things were still here and her parents things as well. The books, scrolls and weapons his mother had bought back was in the other room. The two axes still hanged on the wall without a speck of dust.

Food was ready. He wondered if it was enough. He didn't know how much dwarves ate so he wasn't too sure how much food to put on the table. In hobbit standards it was enough for a group of hobbit bounders so he just had to hope it was enough. The fire was blazing and everything was organized just as he wanted. He had changed out of his royal garments and into more common clothes that made him blend in with the shire folk.

His trail of thought was stopped when he heard a loud knock from the door. Actually knock was a weak word more like strong banging came from the door. He took a couple of deep breathes and strolled towards the door. He checked himself over before opening the door.

He was met with a fierce, weapon carrying dwarf. He was noticeably taller than him and bald. He bowed after a small grunt.

"Dwalin son of Fundin, at your service." he greeted gruffly.

Bilbo bowed "Bilbo Baggins at yours, come in." he said stepping aside for him to come in.

"Has anyone arrived yet?" the dwarf Dwalin asked coming in.

"No, your the first" Bilbo answered closing the door "Follow me, I'll show you were supper is."

"He said there would be food."

"I'm guessing Gandalf is he, he said thirteen of you would be coming?"

"Aye."

"Well I'm not sure if this much food would suffice for thirteen dwarves, is it?" He asked gesturing to the table that was stacked with piles and piles of food. He cooked some himself just for the joy of cooking. He had his best wine out from the cellars in the castle.

When he looked at the dwarf for any confirmation he saw that Dwalin had his eyes wide and jaw down. The strong and delicious aroma of the food was enough for anyone's mouth to water and drool. Bilbo prayed it was a positive sign.

"Um, Master Dwalin?" He waved a hand in front of the dwarf.

Dwalin snapped out of dazing at the food and looked at Bilbo "Er, yes it is very much enough." he said.

"Thank goodness then, make yourself at home and help yourself." he said.

He nodded and Bilbo left the dwarf in dinning room to feast.

A few minutes later he heard another knock from the time it wasn't so strong. He came over and opened the door and his sight met with an elderly dwarf with white hair and beard. Said dwarf gave him a polite smile and bowed.

"Balin at your service." he greeted.

"Bilbo at yours" Bilbo bowed "Lovely weather today huh?"

"Yes well, it looks like it would rain soon." he said looking at the sky.

"Seems so, come in then. While the food is still warm."

Balin followed him in and Bilbo showed him to the dinning room where Dwalin was busy stuffing his face with food. When he saw Balin he got up immediately. Bilbo had to raise a brow when they butted heads. Strange.

"You should see the feast Master Baggins has prepared us." Dwalin said pointing at the dinning table filled with plates of food.

"This...this is quite the feast Master Baggins, thank you." Balin said as he saw the food crammed together on the table.

"You are most welcome, please enjoy." he said.

Another few minutes later there was another knock on the door. It was much louder like there were two persons knocking on the door at the same time. When Bilbo opened the door he was faced with two young dwarfs. A blond and a brunette.

"Fili-"

"-Kili-"

"-at your service!" They said in unison smiling brightly.

Bilbo let out a chuckle and bowed as well "Bilbo at yours, come in please."

He was just about to make way for them when he saw their muddy boots. His Baggins blood instantaneously kicked in.

"Wait just a minute!" He ordered with his voice that had ordered dozens of servants and knights.

The two immediately halted after hearing the authoritative voice that was similar to a general's. It was slightly surprising it came from the small hobbit in front of them.

"Boots off now!" Bilbo ordered and gave a scowling look "Please tell me you didn't get those from running through the locals gardens?"

When he saw Fili look away and Kili smile sheepishly he wanted to facepalm but just sighed. The hobbits who owned those gardens will not be happy. Hobbits prided themselves of their gardens.

The two began to take of their footware as Bilbo looked outside for any angry hobbits stomping towards Bag End with pitchforks and torch in hand. Thankfully he saw none of that and returned his attention to the two young dwarrows.

"Can we go now?" They whined like fauntlings after taking their boots off and setting them near the door.

Bilbo nodded satisfied "You better do come in, before a group of mad hobbits come for you with pitchforks." he warned and stepped aside to let them come in.

The two looked at each other before looking behind them if said hobbits with pitchforks were coming their way and gulped. They quickly came in the house. Bilbo shut the door and wondered if they could get out of Shire before the hobbits notice where the two rascals who messed with their gardens were at.

"Here, mind taking these for me for a while." he was suddenly handed heavy iron weapons and he nearly stumbled down under the weigh "Careful, I just got them waxed." said the brunette named Kili.

"Nice place you have here." Fili who was the blonde one commented looking around "Built it yourself?" He asked.

"No, my father did." he said after grunting from the weigh of the weapons.

Fili looked at him with a concerned look in his eyes "You need any help?" He asked worried for the hobbit -which he found enchantingly pretty; shiny emerald eyes that could light up a dark room, a shock of beautiful curly golden brown locks, long perfectly curved eyelashes, an adorable button nose, cute chubby cheeks, pink rosy lips plump like the ripest strawberry and features so delicate and soft he feared they would break when he would smile... forget pretty the little thing was beautiful to his eyes.

"Master Fili? Hello? Um, Master Fili?" Bilbo repeated over and over trying to get Fili's attention, he seemed preoccupied at the moment staring at him.

"MIDDLE EARTH TO FILI!" Kili shouted right in his ear.

Fili immediately came back to reality blinking. He saw Bilbo and his brother giving him questioning looks.

"Oh, sorry...you were saying?" He asked looking at Bilbo.

"I said I didn't need any help, handing your weapons to take care of is a sign of trust." Bilbo said still wondering what the blonde dwarf was thinking of so deeply that he did not seem to be in this world, "That's what my father always said."

"And true he is." Kili claimed grinning and then looked at his brother with a quizzical expression "You dazed off just then, what's the matter?"

"Oh, uh it's nothing, nothing at all." he said waving the question away like a fly "Hey is that dinner I smell?" He said rather too quickly.

"Ah yes, two of your kin had already arrived, they are in the dinning room." said Bilbo "Hurry while the food's still warm."

Kili instantly hurried off to join Dwalin and Balin who they could hear their voices from where they were. Fili hesitated a little glancing at Bilbo before going after his brother. Bilbo was squirming a little by the weigh of the weapons and hurriedly placed them down in a safe area.

Then another knock came from the door.

"Please have lighter weapons." he prayed and went to open the door.

He had opened the door just a little and then a pile of dwarves had hurled through and fell on the floor with loud grunts and wheezes. Gandalf stood outside crouching down to see Bilbo looking down at the pile of bodies that were on his floor. He looked up at Gandalf with a look that said 'These are really them?'. Gandalf just smiled his eyes glinting with amusement.

Bilbo pinched the bridge of his nose. Quest for Erebor, he did not want to envision how it will go right now...

Dwarves. Bilbo had noted seemed to lacked some...table manners.

He had a difficult time trying not to worry how he had to accompany these people to journey to a place that was miles and miles away and stand their behavior. They threw perfectly good food -which he cooked himself!-, were unbearably loud and drank like dogs. He stood outside the room full of dwarrows his arms crossed, leaning on to the wall and watched them silently.

Gandalf came and stood crouching down beside him "Ah Bilbo, enjoy meeting the dwarves?" He asked drinking his tiny wine glass that was emptied after one gulp. He frowned at that.

Bilbo gave him a bemused look "They have quite the behavior."

"Yes, a very merry gathering is it not?" Gandalf said cheerily.

Bilbo snorted.

At the table filled with dwarrows who feasted on the delicious food and often threw food at each other cheered. Kili had enjoyed seeing the familiar faces again and so did Fili who he had just noticed glanced at the hobbit standing outside the dinning room with Gandalf. Raising a curious brow he stared at his brother who did not seem to notice his stare and returned to cheering along with the other dwarves.

"I presume you have everything planned ready?" Gandalf asked Bilbo.

"All set, I assume his majesty still hasn't arrived?"

"No it seems, I heard he had some things to see before this."

"As in a meeting?"

"According to my memory yes, I think he mentioned a meeting he needed to attend to."

"Excuse me," a dwarf with a short beard and a bowl hair cut approached them with a late in his hand, "Sorry to interrupt but what shall I do with my plate?" He sounded quite timid. Bilbo knew right there he had found at least one dwarf with some manners, and he seemed to be a young one.

Bilbo planned to just take the dish and clean it himself, and maybe introduce himself to this young dwarf. He needed to mingle with these rambunctious group in order to get along with them in future times during the journey. No use being complete strangers with them the entire trip. Then, Fili walked in. If Bilbo had the power to read minds, he might have understood the way the blond dwarf's eyes glint with mischief and need to impress him.

"Here Ori, give it here." The plate was taken and before Bilbo knew what was happening, the dwarves started throwing the plates and cups rather than just food. The time he saw them juggling his mother's silver wear, his heart skipped a beat.

"B-be careful! You'll blunt them!" Big mistake.

"Ooooh! You here that lads? He said we'll blunt the knives!" Bofur proclaimed and the dwarves laughed.

By this amount of disrespect, he would have blown a gasket and ordered them then and there to put down the plates and cups. This kind of treatment was foreign to him, being royalty and all. Then a hand was placed on his shoulder, it held back his voice from yelling. Gandalf whispered, "As you will be travelling with them you must understand them. This is their way of showing their gratitude to their host."

"Gratitude?!" Bilbo blanched, " Why I-"

"They are a different race your majesty, please know there will be culture clashes in the future. Dwarves are different, this is how they were raised. The sooner you accept that, the better we will be off."

Bilbo sometimes wished the wizard wasn't right all the time. These people had dissimilar ways of being brought up. For all he knew they might even find him wearing no foot wear outrageous! And that would be very odd for a hobbit to hear.

While the house was filled with loud laughter and cheering along with a bemused hobbit and a meddling wizard there was one dwarf standing out at the doorstep. Inside there came a loud knocking. It made everyone go quiet amd the house fallen into silence. Bilbo turned to the doors direction and glanced at Gandalf who had an unreadable look on his face.

"He is here."

Bilbo steeling himself opened the door. His vision collided with striking blue eyes that pierced his entire being. The dwarf king, Thorin Oakensheild stood on his doorstep himself looking majestic under the moonlight.

Bilbo by all his standards was a bit intimidated under the intense stare of the dwarven king. He had no doubt this was the king Gandalf had told him about. Tall, broad and broodingly handsome. He had no doubts indeed.

"Nice of you to join us Master Oakensheild." Gandalf spoke behind Bilbo.

"Gandalf, you said this place was easy to find." Thorin said coming in eyes not leaving Bilbo for more than a moment "I got lost two times on my way here...if it wasn't for that mark on the door."

'Got lost? Who on middle earth can get lost in the Shire? Even foreigners can find places here easily!' He thought but did not dare say it out loud. But he took a note to self: This dwarf has no sense of directions.

He was really starting to worry about this quest if a dwarf who got lost in the Shire twice was suppose to lead them to Erebor. He was glad he had not promised Sylvia or Saradoc anything about this quest.

Gandalf came in between them and put a hand on Bilbo's shoulder. Bilbo stood as dignified as he could. The dwarf may be majestic and brooding but he was refined and poised. He did not know in other people's eyes he was seen as adorable, delicate, soft, huggable and well...small; especially to a certain blonde. The dwarrows had already gathered in the room watching the exchanged.

"Bilbo may I have the honor of introducing you to the head of the company Thorin Oakensheild" Gandalf gestured to Thorin who's eyes were still on the hobbit king.

Bilbo nodded trying not to show any sign of being affected by the striking eyes that would not leave him "Bilbo Baggins, at your service your majesty" he said bowing respectfully.

Thorin gave a nod of acknowledgment "So this is the hobbit" he said sounding skeptical and circled around Bilbo examining him.

Bilbo knew he was being sized up. He would have not been worried if he had wore his crown but no, he had to go on this journey without it. He had to earn his respect without royalty.

"How much fighting have you had?"

"I have had my fair share" he replied with a placid face.

"Really now? Sword or axe?" Came the next question.

"Sword and dagger." and a few throwing knives. It was true, of course being king he had to be trained for combat. He had been training with the sword and various other weapons since he was a fauntling. The Shire wasn't always a peaceful place. It had its dark days and events.

Thorin and also the rest of the dwarrows looked surprised and slightly shocked. Bilbo's mouth twitched when he saw their reactions. Why is it so hard to believe?! He did not look that helpless and weak right? He heard Gandalf snicker and he sent a freezing glare at him.

Gandalf stopped at once and coughed before saying "Well now that were all here why don't we get down to business."

The dwarrows had bombarded the dwarf king with questions about how the meeting with the other dwarven tribes went as he ate. By the sound of it Bilbo deduced not so well.

When they brought out the map he had came closer and took a good look at it.

"Ancient dwarvish." he mumbled quietly as he recognized what was written on the map.

"What?" Balin asked "You said something lad?"

"Huh? Oh it was nothing." he lied. They did not need to know how he recognized ancient dwarvish. He couldn't understand it but he could recognize it. All the books he had read in the library inside the castle had showed him all the languages of different races. He learned some but not ancient dwarvish.

Gandalf had explained the whole mission. The mountain, the key, the other way in the mountain, and then the dragon. When the topic of the dragon came there was an uproar among the dwarrows until Thorin silenced them.

"That's where our burglar comes in." Gandalf said as they got back on the topic on how they would get past the dragon gaurding the treasure inside the mountain.

Eyes landed on the hobbit king -though they had no clue he was a king- who had was not the least bit affected by the attention, he was king of the Shire, he was used to attention.

"Burglar?" He asked giving Gandalf an are-you-serious-?-look.

Gandalf shrugged.

Bilbo sighed, a simple commoner hobbit would have been fine but a burglar. He was going undercover as a burglar "Is there a contract I need to sign?"

He was greeted by surprised looks. The company was not expecting the fragile looking hobbit to accept so easily. One of them was already feeling worried, fearing what would happen to the little cute hobbit.

"Actually yes, there is" Gandalf said giving Thorin a pointed look.

"Show him the contract" Thorin orderd.

Bilbo was handed the contract by Balin.

"Just a little something, funeral arrangements, life insurance" he said casually.

Bilbo scanned through the contract "Eviceration, annhialation, incineration?"

"Do you really want to read anymore?" Gandalf whisperd to him in his ear.

He really wished he didn't need to go, oh how he did...but there was his kingdom to think about. If he did stay, he would doom them all and if he did not got with the company then there goes their chances of getting their homes back. That last thought made Bilbo soften.

"I guess not" he mutterd back to Gandalf who nodded.

He looked up to see the expecting looks of the dwarrows. They were waitting for his answer. He didn't like it but he both needed and was compelled to go. Well, there was his life insurance.

"I'll go get my quill to sign this then" he said and the company of dwarves cheered victoriously.

Bilbo chuckled at their antics and left to go find a quill and a bottle of ink in his study. He wonderd how things were going in the castle. Saradoc was probably showing his replacment the things he needed to to, the duties he had to fufill and making sure Lobelia was nowhere near his chambers or Drogo and his family. That last part made Bilbo worry about his head scribe.

Sylvia must be tightening security around the castle, with Bilbo gone she needed to be more cautiouse than she already was these past months. The general of the Shire knights must be demanding answers. Sylvia will have no trouble with General Scrotto but he hoped he doesn't break anything out of rage because someone had failed to come to him and tell him about the whole decision his king made to go on a wild quest with a high chance of dying for the sake of the kingdom. Bilbo reassured himself the general would understand. He cared for the Shire as much as Bilbo did.

Back in the dinning area the dwarrows were talking amongst themselves.

"He took that rather well"

"Indeed, I thought he would atleast faint"

"I thought so too"

"A brave little thing isn't he?"

"Is he really skilled enough to get past a dragon Gandalf?" Fili asked the old wizard. Out of all on the dwarrows he had the most concern for their burglar.

"Hobbits are incredibly light on their feet and the dragon has never smelled the scent of a hobbit making him perfectly immune of being traced" Gandalf answerd smoking his pipe "Especially this hobbit"

Thorin gave him a questioning gaze "What makes this hobbit so special?" He asked.

Gandalf leaned in close "More than you think." was all he said before he returned to smoking his pipe with a look he could not read.

"I will not be responsible for his death." Thorin whisperd to Gandalf.

"Understood." Gandalf nodded.

"I signed it"

Bilbo had returned from his study with the contract signed with his signature. Balin had come and checked the contract over.

"Everything seems to be in order, welcome Bilbo Baggins to the company of Thorin Oakensheild." he said and shook Bilbo's hand as the rest of the company -excluding Thorin- cheered once more.

Bilbo took a seat on his armchair next to Gandalf. He was going to feel a bit homesick on the journey. He was going to miss a lot of things but missing the Shire was not what he was really dwelling on, it was his worry. Without him here his people would start feeling unsafe and even fearful in the Shire kingdom. He decided to take his kind of that topic.

"Master Burglar." the head of the company called.

'Master Burglar?' Bilbo thought feeling a bit offended but shook it off. He might of signed up for it but he had a name!

"Yes?" He said and poured as much politeness as he could.

Gandalf looked at the hobbit king as if he was going to go and bash the dwarf hing on the head with a frying pan for showing him such disrespect. Which Bilbo found possible.

"Now that you are in this company of mine, I was wondering if you would answer a few of my questions about you kind" he said giving him a look that was dead serious yet looked almost...angry?

He straightened in his armchair. His eyes narrowed in weariness as to why he was curious of his race. A few other dwarves -the older ones- leaned in wanting to hear what the burglar had to say. They had looks Bilbo could not place but it was clear they were eager to know.

"And those questions are?" He asked warily.

The older dwarrows exchanged glances at each other and Thorin zeroed his eyes on the hobbit king.

"I'm sure you know about the day the dragon Smaug had attacked our kingdom and stole what was ours." there was a pause before continuing "Since your kin had been there."

The hobbit king's eyes widened. So until now they still remember. He made eye contact with Gandalf who gave him a silent message saying 'Tell them'. He bit his lip. Should he really? It was not their business. Gandalf wanted to order Bilbo to tell them already out loud but he knew hobbits had secrets. They may look like simple people but they had secrets that would make a shiver go down your spine.

Bilbo saw the looks he was getting from both Gandalf and the dwarrows and gave in. He breathed in deeply before starting to talk.

"I see you still remember but no matter, what is it you want to ask me about my kin? Why we helped you when Smaug attacked?"

"We are a little curious about that but no, what I'm really curious is where did your kin disappear to after aiding us?"

"Back to their home, the Shire." came the answer.

"Why?"

"They were not really expecting to go and help a kingdom of dwarves flee from a dragon and were in a hurry to get back to their own kingdom."

"They were only passing by?"

"Well yes, from what I've heard, they had a meeting with the elves in Imladris and planned to go back but when they were just about to leave the message of a kingdom of dwarves was being destroyed was heard and they change their destination to Erebor" Bilbo explained recalling the stories his mother and father had told him. It was Bilbo's father who had came to their aid along with Belladonna Took and a small army of knights. They defended bravely against the dragon and lived to tell the tale.

"Just like that? They didn't hesitate to think about their lives and just went to help a race they never even had contact with?" Asked Kili looking at the hobbit king with awe and a little respect.

"Hobbits, value our home. And yours was being destroyed. They hesitated, yes but they went to your aid in the end."

He received new found looks of gratitude, wonder and respect. He loved the story of when his parents went and fought the dragon and survived. He never got tired of listening to it being told over and over again. Then his parents died and the duties was passed on to him and he ditched the thought of fighting, he cared for peace among his people from the moment the crown was placed on his head.

"We tried contacting you, to give a proper thanks but...your kind never responded, never came out of their kingdom or even made any outside contact, what happened?"

Bilbo stiffened. He was asking him that question. Out of all the things he had to ask it was that. The worst time the Shire had been in and he was asking for an explanation for that.

Gandalf send a worried gaze at the hobbit king now wondering if he really would faint. He knew of what had transpired to make hobbits distant from others, hiding themselves and not trusting anyone outside their kin except for the people in Bree and the rangers but even they didn't know so much about hobbits, they never had their full trust.

After swallowing hard he spoke "The goblin attack." he mutterd.

"What?" the dwarven king frowned in confusion at the hobbit king who was turning pale.

"The goblins, our sworn enemies had attacked from the inside of the Shire, the center of the kingdom: the castle." Gandalf was really worried now. Bilbo never talked about this, not to anyone, not even to those close to him. His mind never made him forget, life in the Shire would always remind him.

"They came unexpected, it was a great surprise. We weren't ready and the result had lost more lives than we ever thought we could loose, so many deaths, they were close to slaying the king but failed in the end but a lot of us weren't so lucky" he held back the tears that threaten to spill from his eyes "The Shire went into mourning and depression, it was the saddest years of our lives, the goblins swore revenge for beheading their king but we did not realize it would lead to..." he trailed off looking down. He could no longer continue. This was the most talking he had done about the goblin attack.

A voice he didn't bother to recognize asked "Did you loose somebody too?"

He felt his heart swell with pain. He remembered the loss of some of his playmates, so young and innocent, he felt almost guilty surviving and then there were his maids and servants, he was close to some of them and then they were just gone. Massacred.

"Yes, I lost a lot of people" was the reply.

Gandalf put a hand on the hobbit king's shoulder giving it a comforting squeeze. No child should have seen that much and loose so many. The dwarrows noticed the house Bilbo had was big, too big for just one hobbit to live in. They figured he wasn't always the only one living here and felt sympathetic for the hobbit.

"That's why the kingdom never held any business with other races, they feared the same thing would happen if they made any contact with the outside world. They were forever scarred from the goblin experience, scars that never healed" Bilbo shuddered "It got worse when the Fell Winter came, we were still weak when the Shire froze over, thankfully the neighboring hobbit lands came to our aid" he said remembering the Tookland and Hobbiton forces arriving then "But it was too late"

"Too late? Too late for what?"

"Weak and still recovering and growing weaker thanks to the winter, we were vulnerable and close to helpless and the wolves had came to hunt the defenseless hobbits." Bilbo was suddenly feeling lightheaded. His head was flashing images of wolves growling and glaring gruesomely at him. The image of his mother coming in front of him and yelling for him to run. The scream of pain was somehow still so clear to him.

"Tragically they were followed...by orcs."

He heard a few gasps and curses but ignored it and went on. His head would not stop flashing back. The vicious roar coming from the miserable creatures riding on those dreaded wargs, the fear the ran through his veins at that time, his father running towards him as he stared down at the lifeless body of his beloved mother, the red crimson stain on the white snow.

"We were attacked once again, we had one, we were safe, we had little loss compared to the goblin attack, we could recover..."

Bilbo saw his father being pierced through his chest by a spear, he heard the screams that erupted from his mouth, he saw him being taken away by General Scrotto who told him not to look and saw knights fighting the orcs along with the Tookland and Hobbiton forces.

"But we had lost something important."

He felt the world spinning and his ears ringing. He felt the need to lay down and pass out. This was all too much. It always happened when he remembered the attack or had nightmares about their deaths.

"The orcs had killed the king and queen, right in front of the little prince."

Btw: Wargs are what orcs ride, Wargons are what hobbits ride. They aren't canon but let this slide please? Wargons are my own creation.

To one of the guest who's review made me tear-up: Thank you! I thought everyone would hate this story for it being so different from the normal fanfics. And of COURSE Bilbo can fight. He just doesn't do so often cuz he's got like guards around him and no hobbit really has any intention of killing one of their own -as Tolkien portrayed them to be the goodness of men- and especially their King. The only time he had ever fought was during the goblin attack -which is not canon as i made it up for the sake of the fic-.


	4. Chapter 4

~ On My Wargon We Run From Horror

Chapter 4

"Bilbo get behind me."

"Go, run as fast as you can to your father."

"What about you mommy?"

"Mommy needs to protect her little boy, now go!"

"But-"

"No buts! Now run!"

"Mom!"

"...Bilbo..."

"Belladonna! Bilbo!"

"...mom...don't go...please..."

"...live...have an adventure...you m-must c-carry on...son."

"Bilbo!"

"Don't look boy!"

"Dad!"

"I'm...sorry"

The hobbit king woke up curled up in his bed sheets. Sunshine was streaming down from the window of his room. He couldn't remember clearly about last night after dinner. Only that he asked to be excused and go to bed early his head throbbing and threatening to shut down and throw him in the nightmare that repeated itself ever since that day.

Yawning loudly, he sat up and rubbed his eyes. He got up from bed and wondered what became of his guests. He told them to make themselves comfortable and sleep in the extra rooms. He really hoped they didn't destroy the plumbing.

Deciding to check on them, he went to each room and check on them. He always saw the same thing, loudly snoring dwarves asleep in awkward angles on the guest beds. He must be up early. He decided to take a shower before anyone else. He was not too keen on going back to bed and be plagued by awful nightmares of his past.

Grabbing a towel and a change of clothes, he headed for his bathroom. He was glad to see the bathroom was still okay and everything functioned properly. Clearing all thoughts of last night and his nightmare he stepped in the shower and felt the hot water relax him.

A few minutes later, one of the dwarvs began to stir and wake up. Thorin had noted last night had been...unexpected. His long anger towards the hobbits for not responding them had vanished once he heard the reason why they became so...distant. He didn't know much about hobbits but thought of them as soft weak little beings before the attack on Erebor when they came blowing a horn and charged head first for the burning kingdom riding on creatures he never seen before. He had mix feelings when he entered the Shire kingdom. It was suspicious when none of the guards stopped him but figured Gandalf had told them already about their arrival.

It was a long while before he found the place. When he knocked on the circular door he was greeted with the sight of shiny emerald green orbs in big round eyes behind long eyelashes. Soft, gentle and so pure like nothing had ever dirtied those emerald orbs, so clear and sparkled with intelligence yet held quiet confidence. The hobbit stood staring back at him.

He saw the pointed ears and almost reclined when he realized they were not like those of elves but less pointy and bared difference. The hobbit which he was soon introduced as Bilbo Baggins was shorter than him, hobbits were half the size of dwarves and had big hairy feet. Bilbo bowed respectfully after being introduced. He wondered if this small soft thing would be vital in their quest for Erebor. He was genuinely surprised when he heard he could fight, and with a sword and dagger no less. It would be an odd sight to see such a gentle and delicate looking thing fight.

He got up and went to check on everyone of the company. He found them all still deep in sleep. He was about to check on the kitchen when he heard a sound coming from the room near his. Taking careful steps he went to listen better. It sounded like footsteps.

Letting curiosity get the best of him, he grabbed the doorknob and twisted it open slowly and quietly pushed it open. He peeked inside to find himself seeing the bathroom and notice only one person in the room. Right in front of a mirror in nothing but a towel covering his waist and below was their burglar himself. He was brushing his hair, his attention focused on the mirror. His hair was still wet as was his skin but what he had noticed was the muscles. He was surprised to see some abs and muscular arms and legs. But he also noticed the scars.

One was on his shoulder, it looked like a wound made by an arrow being shot and gave hin a nice gash. It looked quite old, he may have gotten it when he was still young. Another was on his back the stretched on his upper back to his hips. It wasn't as old as the scar on his shoulder maybe a year ago. It was shocking to see these things on a hobbit like Bilbo. The muscles were very much real too.

The dwarf frowned when he remembered the information that was given last night. It was clear their burglar had been in that assault of the goblins and lost a lot. Seeing how big the house was it was a depressing amount of losses.

Realizing just how awkward it was peeking on the little one like this he pulled his head back and shut the door as quiet as he could.

Back in the bathroom, Bilbo heard a click sound. He turned his head to look behind him and shrugged when he saw nothing amiss. He returned to brushing his hair.

He had changed into special brown trousers that would keep his throwing knives strapped and hidden from sight if your far or don't look too close, a tight button-up shirt the sleeves rolled up to his elbows, hard yet light armor he could move freely in and only covered the upper part of his body and a red coat. His sword and dagger sheathed on his waist. He was ready.

He had just made breakfast for everyone when heard a banging sound on his door. He wondered who it was, no hobbit knew where he was except for two of them. As if on cue Thorin Oakensheild walked in the kitchen and looked curiously at the direction of the door.

Bilbo left the plate of bacon on the table and went to answer whoever it was on the door. He swore if it was a group of hobbits asking for two young dwarrows who had ruined their gardens last night he was going to grab his things, warn the company and get the hell out of there. Shire folk were not to be messed with when it came to their gardens. But he saw something entirely different when he opened the door.

"Gah!" He yelped as he was suddenly tackled to the ground by something furry.

"Roaf!"

"Trevor?" Bilbo spluttered bewildered and taken back "What on middle-earth are you doing here?!" He demanded.

"Roaf!" the large wargon responded and licked his master's face happily.

"Master Burglar? What's the commotion ab-" Thorin stopped dead on his tracks as he stared like a statue at the large hound-like creature on top of Bilbo.

He was was about to pull out his sword to save the hobbit when Bilbo saw what he was about to do and hurriedly stopped him before this would end badly.

"No, no wait! It's okay, it's okay!" He said still trying to push the wargon off him who then noticed the dwarf and began growling.

"Trevor that's not nice, this is a king in our midst and I expect good behavior from you" Bilbo scolded waving a finger in front of the wargon who ceased its growling at the dwarf and looked at Bilbo with a blank look.

"I mean the dwarf Trevor, the dwarf" Bilbo mumbled to the wargon in his mother tongue.

Trevor nodded it's head as a sign he understood. Thorin never averted his eyes from the wargon. He had no idea what it was but it seemed on friendly terms with the halfling but he wasn't sure if it would be the same to the dwarrows.

"You'll have to excuse Trevor, he can be a tad bit affectionate." Bilbo said to the dwark king who was still wary around the wargon "This is Trevor, he's my pet wargon." Bilbo introduced trying to clear the tense air around Thorin.

"A wargon?"

"Yes, a wargon." Bilbo said "Their the only things hobbits can ride on without sneezing their noses off, wargons are rumored to be a mix of wolves and wargs so we called them wargons."

Thorin studied the creature. Thick dark blue fur everywhere on its upper body while it had a lighter shade of blue fur on its belly, crimson red eyes like pools of blood with a blotch of black in the middle like a small black marble, large tall ears, stout wolf-like nose and claws like a warg's, it had a long rather fluffy tale that swayed a little and he knew behind that mouth was razor sharp teeth. It stood a few inches taller than him and towered over the hobbit who scurried to his feet.

"...he's your pet?" was the question.

Bilbo nodded stroking the head of the large beast who purred like a kitten with pleasure.

"Uncle what's going on- OH MY BEARD WHAT IS THAT?!" Kili screeched so loud Bilbo was sure it woke up the other dwarrows.

"Kee you don't have a beard" Fili corrected coming in after his brother and saw the wargon next to Bilbo who was busy paying attention to its master who stroked his fingers through his furry head and showed mild interest for the three dwarrows.

"Morning Master Baggins, nice warg you have there." he said giving his best dazzling smile at the hobbit which surprised the two other dwarves of his casualty.

"Good morning to you too Fili" the hobbit king greeted back also a bit surprised but hid it with a smile "Thank you, but Trevor is a wargon, he's a gift when I was a child, he really is a good companion."

"A wargon? Never heard of it and how are you so calm seeing it Fee?" Kili asked.

"Didn't you see the other knights that passed by us last night riding those things? So I figured they were tamed animals here and normally seen around." he explained.

Bilbo smiled impressed "Good observation and deduction, Thorin is fortunate for having an heir such as you."

A faint pink almost unnoticeable appeared on the blonde's face at the compliment. Bilbo said something to Trevor they could not hear but it made the wargon nod its head and go outside. Bilbo shut the door and faced his companions.

"So...breakfast?"

Everyone got ready for their departure from the Shire kingdom. The company had gotten on to their ponies well all but Bilbo who rode on Trevor on a saddle. Bilbo had a hunch a certain brunette hobbit lass from the castle had sent his royal wargon to keep watch on him. Not that he minded, he could use Trevor's speed, animal instincts and company.

Bilbo rode behind the dwarrows at the very back. They were leaving the borders of the Shire and officially leaving for their journey that gave the hobbit king a headache just thinking about it. He glanced back at the borders. At his kingdom. His home.

He was going to be homesick at some point of his journey. He would fret about his home and people fearing the goblins would attack once again and he wouldn't be there to help but there was no turning back now. He had signed the contract. He was going to the Lonely Mountain with thirteen dwarves and a meddling wizard. Lovely. Just lovely.

He was just glad his mom did not need to go through this. Better him than her. Stroking Trevor's head the hobbit king continued to drift in his own thoughts. Then it was all disrupted by a loud shrill yell.

"BILBO! " Lobelia Sackville-Baggins roared looking furious as her face was red with rage and eyes glaring daggers at him and she looked like she was about to breath fire too.

"Oh dear..." Bilbo muttered seeing the walking thing of raw horror.

"Who's that?" Bifur asked looking at the small stalking hobbit who was as red as a tomato and coming nearer and nearer.

"Lobelia." Bilbo gulped. Why was she here? Was the secret found out? Were they going to live?

"What'a Lobelia? " asked Ori.

"Pure horror, Run Trevor! RUN!" And with that Trevor sprung into a sprint almost vanishing from sight running ahead of them and further. Gandalf had sped after Bilbo the very second 'run' was said.

"BILBO!"

The dwarrows thought it would be best to go after the two fast. Only because they would not be left behind. It was not like they were scared or anything from a simple hobbit lass...

"BILBO BAGGINS YOU COME BACK HERE!"

In a blink of an eye they rode after Bilbo and Gandalf totally not afraid of the horror screaming at them from behind. Because they were not.

"That...was...terrifying..."

"Gandalf! " Bilbo called after they had stopped and sure that Lobelia was far behind and would not follow.

"Yes sire?" Gandalf asked.

"I think the plan had been found out, at least to Lobelia." he said panicked.

What happened? Did Saradoc break? He hoped for the best of his head scribe and wondered how Sylvia was doing. Was she the one who did spill the beans? Now he was worried how the kingdom was dealing with this. Their own king sneaking out when they were facing big problems and are in need of their king in the Shire. He had to calm himself. Saradoc will think of something. Stay calm, stay calm.

"I saw that, shame I know. Though I don't see you keen on going back?"

"Are you mad? Of course not! To Lonely Mountain it is!"

Gandalf laughed heartily.

The company was back on track and in a safe distance from the Shire and saw no sign of raging hobbits lasses near them. Bilbo rode in silence looking around his surroundings in wonder and awe. He had never been out of the Shire. Being out and adventuring was giving him a thrill he had never felt before... or haven't felt in a long time.

"Enjoying the scenery Bilbo?" Gandalf asked riding on his horse beside the hobbit king's. He was glad to see his little friend having the same thrill look in his eyes he had when his parents were still alive and well.

"Huh? Oh, yes very much" the hobbit king nodded his head and breathed in the fresh outdoor air. "I never thought I would be out and adventuring."

"We can never really be so sure what and what will not happen in our lives."

"Point taken."

Bilbo had noticed how the ponies had scooted away a small distance from him. Trevor was a predator, of course they would be uneasy. Trevor wasn't even looking the least bit tired from the sprint he had done getting away from his relative and was carrying him with ease as they travelled. He was thankful for his captain for sending Trevor after him. Now that he thought about it, he had not have much time to play or see Trevor in a while. The whole ordeal with the goblins was taking much of his time, maybe on this adventure he'd have more time with his childhood friend.

"How are you doing my friend?" He asked Trevor in the language hobbit use called Hill Speak.

Trevor responded with a small growl and scratched his left ear. Since they were little Bilbo could communicate with his wargon pet in Hill Speak and he could understand Trevor by the signs he would send like growing, snarling, scratching of nose or shaking of head. The hobbit king understood what Trevor was trying to say, he was both happy and relieved. Bilbo knew he was happy to be out in an adventure and relieved to be away from the terrifying Lobelia Sackville-Baggins. He agreed on both, especially the latter.

"What did he say your majesty?" he was surprised that it came from Gandalf.

"You still speak Hill Speak?" he asked Gandalf.

"Well of course, I visit the Shire very often before."

"I see, Trevor said he's glad to be out of the Shire and away from my relative."

"I can't say I don't agree to the latter."

"I thought the same thing."

Trevor gave a soft whining noise and a growl and sniffed the air shaking his head. The hobbit king had to agree, the stench of these ponies were making him feel so sick he could throw up. He wonderd of they ever had a bath before.

"The stench is making me want to hurl as well." he agreed with Trevor.

"You will have to get used to I sire, the rest of the company don't fret over hygiene sadly." Gandalf said both amused and bemused.

"We meant the ponies Gandalf! " Bilbo pointed out nearly laughing.

The dwarrows near Bilbo and the wizard glanced curiously at their conversation they could not understand. They spoke in a weird foreign language that they have never heard before. Even more so when Gandalf had gestured to the dwarrows and made a face and Bilbo had replied looking like he was about to burst out laughing.

The two ignored the staring dwarves and traveled on in silence.


	5. Chapter 5

~ A Potential Alliance, A Long Lasting Friendship

Chapter 5

Many hobbits knew their king was the gentle, kind, and generous type. With a calming presence and had great patience whenever dealing with his subjects. Bilbo knew how to treat the citizens of his kingdom and how to get them under control, he had years of training how to deal with his kin.

These were not his kin.

"Catch!" Bofur threw the red apple straight at his cousin Bifur.

"Heads up!" Kili warned as he also threw a peice of fruit at someone in the company.

"Hey! Watch it." Dori whined, rubbing the spot where his head was hit by the flying fruit.

"Throw faster, we're starving here!" Dwalin called from the back.

If anyone would glance at their company burglar -secretly a king-, they would see his face twitching due to the great annoyance he was withholding back. Trevor watched with childlike curiosity at the food being thrown about and the yells growing louder.

Gandalf chuckled as he checked on their hobbit. Bilbo tried as best as he could to not be the king of the Shire for once and let the disorder go unchecked. This was ludicrous for him, who would handle perfectly good food so carelessly? It seems trying to stand these dwarves was going to be easier said than done.

Thinking positively, he had months to get to know them better. Months of seeing this scene play out everyday. Maybe he could teach them the art of table manners and gain their trust. Though he had to admit, the former might come harder than the latter.

As he pondered in his thoughts, the rest of the company were currently eating what they considerd lunch, not wanting to stop until nightfall. Bilbo hoped they could accept more than three meals a day for him. He wondered how other races could go with only three meals per day, the utter horror hobbit folk would look whenever that fact was said.

Behind him, a certain blond dwarrow was eyeing his back. Finally his younger sibling grew distracted and stopped their earlier conversation, now Fili could plan a way to start another conversation with their pretty thief. Hobbits certainly took him by surprise. When his uncle first told them the story about hobbit aiding them during the attack of Smaug, he always wondered what they were like.

There was no real source of information about them. Only the fact that hobbits were a secretive race who hid themselves from larger folk. Which would explain the lack of knowledge of their kind. Now they had one amongst them, so his unanswered questions would surely be satisfied now.

From his observation, hobbits were simple. Even from just meeting one he saw the simplicity of their ways. They were also a seemingly kind race but wary of outsiders. Not in a suspicious way but a rather shy, and polite manner. When he and Kili asked a couple of halflings for directions in Hobbiton, they withdrew a little and grew uncomfortable but gave them their needed route to get to this 'Bagshot Row' where he had met and possibly fallen for the owner of Bag End.

As a bonus, they did offer them pie. Which his brother wasn't hesitant to take a slice of. They must have guessed how drained they were from their travel. Then the wargons came. He saw them first while telling Kili to chew before he ate, he noticed them outside the window. A group of hobbits wearing foreign armor rode in two straight columns, heads covered with strange feathered hats and their wargons silently treading through the roads.

It was a jaw-dropping sight to behold. He tried to get his sibling to stop stuffing his face but it was in vain, the pie was delicious and Fili almost regretted it when he finished it all. Then he realized he had more questions than ever to ask.

Oh, but he felt his fingers drum on his lap nervously at the thought of approaching the adorable halfling. What would he say first? Should he play it cool with a joke or go formal and greet him afternoon. The wrong choice could lead to a bad start. This was a first, he actually had nothing to say first. He had loads of dwarrowdams fancying him back at home, naturally as he was prince and a dashing looking fellow. Then again, Bilbo wasn't a dwarrowdam, or even a dwarf.

"Mr. Baggins!" Bofur called, alerting Fili but not so the deeply pondering hobbit. "Lunch is served!" He threw another apple, it headed straight for the still oblivious burglar.

Out of instinct, Fili threw out his arm and caught the fruit. It was an inch away from hitting the unsuspecting hobbit's head. He sighed in relief when he made it in time. Though, he had his pony to thank in moving so swiftly.

Then he noticed two pairs of the brightest, clearest emerald green irises staring at him. The apple in his hand almost fell as the giddy feeling grew in his chest. This was not planned.

The possibility of having an awkward start was demolished when a bright smile spread across the face of the hobbit. Bilbo let out a laugh resembling strings of a harp being strung. The nervousness faded away into a mushy feeling.

"Nice reflexes master Fili."

Fili blinked once, then twice. Reality kicked in and he straightened up, an easy grin playing on his lips.

"It was nothing Master Baggins and I did say to add no 'Master' when being adressed. We are going to be on the road together for a long while."

Bilbo thought about it, then agreed. "I suppose so." He casually plucked the apple from his hold and started to bite. "Then call me Bilbo." He said after swallowing.

Here was his chance. "So, um, Bilbo." He tried out the name, letting it roll off his tongue. "I have been curious for a while...concerning hobbits."

He felt proud of himself when the hobbit's face brightened and stared at him with avid attention, "Concerning hobbits? That is...this is a surprise. I did not think anyone would care to be indulged with hobbit-lore."

"Well think again," Fili laughed. "Tell me everything you know."

So there Bilbo began his lecture, to the very beginning of the history of his race.

"If you must know," Bilbo cleared his throat, straightening himself. "hobbits are actually very ancient people."

Fili's eyebrows raised slightly, shocked with the piece of information.

"Indeed?"

Then they furrowed. That was not his voice.

Ori had unknowingly joined in. In his hands was an open book and a quill. His eyes glinting with interest, probably enthralled with their conversation.

"Yes indeed!" Bilbo seemed more pleased that someone else had come to listen to him. "Glad you could join us Master Ori."

The young dwarf smiled sheepishly and shied away a bit, he clutched the book closer to his chest. "If it won't be a bother."

Fili wanted to say it would be a bother but who could say that to Ori. He should have known the youngest Ri brother would be eager to learn about another race, especially a race so rarely mentioned. A scribe such as him, must be dying to write everything he was going to hear down to the letter.

"Of course not! Now where was I? Ah, yes. Now hobbits are ancient, far more numerous in the earlier days than this present time."

"You can't be serious!" Nori suddenly popped up. "There were tons of ya halflings running about the Shire and ye definitely weren't short of little ones."

Of course Nori would be here. If Ori's in the mix then no doubt either one or both of his siblings would come bounding after.

"Well you are right of not being short on fauntlings! My mother was the youngest of seven siblings." Bilbo laughed at their flabbergasted faces.

"I take it dwarves have it different?"

"Aye." Fili made sure to answer first, "The most a female dwarf had ever reproduced was four, and that is considered to be a blessing of Mahal."

"Dwarves had never been a numerous race." Gloin came in and joined.

"The most female hobbits could produce are twelve, but lately the numbers have been dwindling to five or three."

"That's still quite a number. Ya halflings are lucky."

"Thank you. Now back to the topic, we are actually distant relations of men. Our origins of coming into this world are vague at best. We never wrote down what happened during the days where hobbits had lived before the Shire. Some say we were created by Yavanna which contradicts our relation to men but that's our only theory as of now." He gazed down at his hands sadly. "How we came to be are now long lost and forgotten."

A minute of silence followed. Bilbo then took notice how the entire company was quiet. He looked up to see their concerned, and maybe some compassionate expressions sent his way. Though they were few, it came as a stunner. It seemed the dwarves were listening to his lecture after all.

Then someone clear their throat. They turned to see Gandalf, his white horse striding along Trevor, seemingly unfazed by the powerful predator currently distracted by a fluttering butterfly.

"It seems my knowledge of hobbit-lore has gotten quite faded out. I do wish to hear about what you do know of the olden days of hobbits." He smiled kindly at the hobbit. It somehow lifted the sad atmosphere as the others agreed.

"Yes, I would like to take part in learning that." Fili added.

"Same here!" Kili came into his vision, smiling a childish smile. "Its captured my attention."

The corners of the hobbit king's mouth curled into a smile.

The rest of the day was spent with Bilbo regaling them with tales and history of old. Behind him the grey wizard watched, satisfied. He turned to look at the very front of the traveling group. Thorin kept his eyes on the road ahead, but once in a while he would side-glance to take a peek at their burglar whenever he said anything fascinating.

Maybe things would turn out for the better after all.

But the road goes ever on. And many things can happen.


	6. Chapter 6

**This is still unedited. With my computer down it'll be harder to update weekly, bear with me here.**

 **A little Fili/Bilbo but nothing seriouse and Bilbo is still oblivious. The next chapter will be dedicated to action and badass Tookish Bilbo. Until next time, enjoy the chapter.**

~Old Hate And A Moment Of Relief

The day had past by when their company finally exhausted their energy. By the time the sun was setting their camp had already been finished. Quick and smooth which came hard for such a thrown together group. Thankfully they had one who knew every rule of order.

"Those chopped one go there. No Kili the chopped wood goes there not just everywhere." Our favorite king of hobbits had been helping out in cooking their food. It was no joke when he said he had skill with a knife.

Their stew cooked over the fire. Hands tried to grab a spoon and take early sampled but the keen eyes of their hobbit slapped them away. Bilbo threw in each ingredient as if it was a delicacy. Course he and Bomber had one giant debate about mushrooms as they worked, boring anyone close to sleep. It had been three days and Gandalf felt glad to note some progress had been made between his hobbit and the dwarves. Bilbo was never one to sit while everyone worked. He was king and had a habit of being a workaholic.

Giving out instructions came as a second nature to him. Being closer with his travel companions made it much more simpler. Thorin let it pass without a breeze, either due to the fact his cooking was unmatched or there was some doubt starting to grow after Bilbo discussed the history of hobbits. The sundering of hobbits had reminded him all too well if an experience he never wished to repeat. Halflings might have some fight in them after all.

"There, that should be the last of it." Bilbo wiped the sweat off his forehead and sighed. The second the dwarves heard the sentence come out of his mouth they surrounded the boiling bowl of stew he created with much help. Still wished he added more mushrooms but turns out dwarves can't stomach those he described.

He long ago had learned to give up on teaching them table manners. Not even the most boring proper hobbit could compel them to use the right spoon and fork. He would have more luck teaching a bird! Sighing, he sat by the fire with his closest acquaintances enjoying dinner and a few sharing old stories and jests. Bofur on his right and Ori to his left. Bofur seemed to accept him the easiest out of all. The merrier one out of all of them and Ori was interested in hobbit lore. The more he talked about it the more questions popped up.

Bilbo figured it out, they wanted to thank his race this way. The hobbits were the only one who had answered their call if help from the dragon. Once every thing was over they have another reason to be grateful of the hobbit race.

Although he wasn't a king here, he could always try and make a suggestion of treaty. He would strive to learn more about dwarves as well. This would be the first time his race interacted with those of the outside world. But things were changing, and they might need to change if they want to survive the problems they were facing now. He asked numerous question on trade and how they did it.

Hobbit trade was quite the funny business even in his perspective. Instead of arguing for the highest sum or product to trade they did it the complete opposite. In the end there were never hard feelings, usually ended up a laughing matter. Bilbo was concerned on how they were going to trade with those outside their race. They had a partnership with the elves of Rivendell and had a weekly exchange of resources especially during winter but ever since the fall of their king and queen, they were to traumatized to deal with anything outside anymore.

Bilbo did his best, he settled down the commotion about the rangers coming around The Shire every now and then. The bounders saw it suspicious and followed suit were the citizens. Bilbo shook his head when the option to defend was brought up, he ordered his more polite and easy going bounders to talk to the rangers. Once the misunderstanding was cleared the people of his had pitched in to make sure rangers got nothing but respect from them once entering the kingdom. Not a lot came but those who did were pleasant enough.

It gave some hope the world outside was not so dark and scary as everyone thought it was. Bilbo heard before from a wise gentlehobbit how good still lived in this world, they needed to realize it was worth fighting for.

As he sat lost in his own thoughts again, a pair of blue eyes were watching him. Amidst the ruckus his friends were making he had a lot of his focus on the dazed hobbit who had finished his food faster than they were capable of.

The hobbit wasn't speaking as much as he did yesterday and the day after that. Said he was out of stories to tell but humored the others to share theirs. A lot had stories of scandalous affairs which made a blush appear on the burglars cheeks. Fili chuckled at his sensitivity to such things. He wondered if things about Bilbo were just regular hobbitish antics or maybe he was just unique.

There were several failures of trying to converse for more than minute with the halfling. Bilbo was always moving here and there doing something. He was glad he tried to help but one night of just him and the burglar to get to know each other wouldn't hurt.

Then morning came, they were back on the road. Bilbo's wary was full from his hunt last night. The forests around them were filled with howls of a great predator and soon silence, as if to say the game was over. Some swore they saw the warg by a cliff and howling at the moon. They also swore they saw a small silhouette approaching the beast and scold it. The howls immediately stopped after that.

Fili road behind Bilbo as usual and watch as the hobbit was fiddling with his red coat. Curious and thought it would be a good excuse to talk crept up behind the hobbit to see what he was doing.

"Bilbo, what are you doing?" He asked, eyeing the needle in his fingers.

Bilbo snapped his head up to see him. Realizing he had crept up behind him while busy must have surprised him. Fili laughed and pointed at the needle.

"Oh." Bilbo held up his coat showing one of the buttons were loose and hanging off a thread. "Fixing my jacket. No excuse for lousy attire, unacceptable for a gentlehobbit."

Fili amused, shook his head. "Hobbits and your clothes."

"Dwarves and your weapons." Bilbo retorted, rolling his eyes as he did.

Fili did a mock-offended look. "You did not just say that!"

The hobbit laughed, "Well you wax them every chance you get. They are sharp enough!"

"No excuse for lousy weaponry."

A bell-like laugh escaped the burglar's lips. "Alright, you got me there."

"Are you sure you should be doing that while horseback?"

"These fingers have been making crochets since I was but a babe. I can handle this."

Relenting he watched as the hobbit did his work. Elegant hands, thin but a few cuts there. So he had faced battle before. Preferably with a knife and maybe a sword but from how soft they looked Bilbo might also prefer long distance assault and so might like using a bow. Yet he did not bring one. Strange. When they did stop for a rest, Bilbo had come over to talk to Bomber about lunch when Fili passed by and his eyes caught a tear on his sleeve.

He was at his side in a blink of an eye.

"Fili, your jacket has been damaged!"

Fili almost jumped when he saw it was Bilbo. Then looked at where the hobbit gestured. Seeing the small cut on his sleeve made him laugh. Way too hard. Bilbo seemed

affronted by his reaction and waited fr him to finish.

Fili regained his composition and said "You hobbits. What are you going to do about it?"

"Me?! Aren't you supposed to take care if your clothes?" Bilbo did a grand gesture to his fixed cloak, as if it never was damaged in the first place.

"You actually warriors such as us know how to sew?" Fili asked, as if he should know the answer already.

Bilbo felt his mouth open and close to find a retort but could think of none. This simply could not do.

"Give it here."

"Huh?"

"I'll fix it."

The taller male was taken back.

"That...you shouldn't- it's nothing really!"

Yet he would have none of it. The hobbit held out his hand, tapping his foot impatiently.

Seeing as Bilbo was not budging, Fili sighed and took of his jacket and handed it over. Though Before he could leave with his jacket, an idea popped into his head.

Grabbing his shoulder, Fili turned the halfling back to him.

"How about I make this even. I do something for you in return."

Bilbo opened his mouth to say no payment was needed then hesitated.

"Your not taking no for an answer are you?" He asked but knew what was going to be said.

Fili grinned, "Glad to see you understanding more about dwarves."

"Yes, you are stubborn."

"I'll take that as a compliment."

Bilbo thought on what he could possibly have Fili do in return. It's not like he doesn't help Bilbo already. Whenever he needed someone to get more firewood the blond was the first to volunteers, or whenever he couldn't carry anything too heavy he would find the weight gone and in Fili's hold. Maybe he wanted to befriend him.

"Fine. You sure you would do anything?"

Fili nodded. "Yes, anything."

Bilbo grew serious, narrowing his eyes. "Anything I want?"

 _Anything I want?_ Sudden thoughts spread through his mind such as things he could do for Bilbo. Controlling the heat threatening to rise on his face he banished those thoughts away. Focus!

"Yes." He swallowed, throat suddenly dry.

"Alright then." Bilbo looked around to make sure no one was looking. Then whispers to him. "But this will just between you and me. No one must know."

When he saw him raise a brown the hobbit explained.

"I have something beneath here that needs to be taken care of."

The dwarf's eyes widened as a blush finally showed itself on his face. His heart beat quickened and the atmosphere suddenly felt hot. _Could he possibly be suggesting..._ , those thoughts came back with a vengeance and excitement mixed with shock made the butterfly in his stomach to summersault.

"Mm-hm. I need you to be gentle with it."

 _Oh Mahal,_ Fili felt his heart ready to burst out if his chest. Blood rushed down his veins and as he stared at the smaller form in front of him he froze in place.

"Bilbo, I promise I will take this slowly"

"Great." Bilbo fished out a knife from his pocket. It's hilt made of gold and the blade double-edged. There were designs of roots and leafs decorating the hilt. "This is a gift from my mum and I need you to polish it for me. I have little skill in that but I know you know a lot about weapons!" He placed the knife in his hand and happily walked away saying to return it to him once he was done.

Bilbo returned to his warg and unloaded his things. He petted Trevor's furred head. Outbid nowhere Gandalf came stomping out of the abandoned farm house muttering under his breath about dwarves.

 _Uh oh,_ seems someone had a bit of a disagreement.

"Gandalf, where are you going?"

Fili remained staring at the knife in his hand.

"Fee?" Kili came. "Why are you just standing there?"

"Oh! Nothing, definitely nothing. Um, I need to polish this for Bilbo." He showed the knife to his brother.

"Okay then, but you seemed space out just then. That's been happening a lot since we started this journey. Be honest with me Fee. What's wrong?"

The two had a major staring contest. Fili surprised his brother noticed. He must have been doing it far too much but he appreciated the concern his sibling showed. Between them, no secrets are kept after all. That was a promise made over since they were children.

"I...I think I have some sort of attraction to Bilbo." He confessed, scratching the back of his neck sheepishly.

Kili stayed wide eyed for a moment. Then whirled around to check for anyone who might have heard.

"Well I can't blame your for attraction but how far?"

Fili shook his head, "I don't know."

Bilbo massaged his temples and prayed they would make it out this night without their wizard. They had no need for Gandalf's magic the night before.

He turned to talk to his dwarves majesty. Unsurprisingly he found the dwarf brooding inside the ruins of the house.

"Mind telling me what that was about?" Bilbo pointed at the retreating form if the wizard.

"The wizard says we need to make it for the elves. I shall not have it!" Thorin growled.

"I see, I remember the wood elves not coming to your aid during the dragon attack." Bilbo said thoughtfully.

Thorin clenched his fists. "They have betrayed us and the treaty, these elves won't be any different."

"But the elves Gandalf were referring to were the elves of Imladris. They aren't wood elves whom I've heard to be quite less wise and more rash."

"I cannot deny that but elves shall remain elves." He spat, malice showing in his striking gaze.

"Funny, I remember those elves in Rivendell being quite resentful to the ones in Greenwood as well." Bilbo mused, guileless to Thorin's intense hatred.

"You have made contact with those _elves?"_ Thorin glared, pacing around.

"Yes, well used to. Not since my pa- er King and Queen's death. Hobbits were too scared then. But before we had a healthy trading partnership." Bilbo recalled on a memory. "My mum knew their Lord. He came to her and her husbands funeral, sent me his condolences."

The dwarf thought over what he had just said, obviously found it unexpected.

"Now I know your mad and you have a right to. But know not every individual can be judged by their race. I see this dwarven company and I notice the toy maker, the cook, the thief, the scribe, the scholar, etc. Most are having it hard accepting me but others have not. Every individual is different and has their own unique opinions and thoughts." Bilbo turned to face the direction of the camp. "At least give the elves who had sent aid to us when the wolves attack a chance. I would like to thank them for saving a few of my friend's life."

He left after saying all he could. He had no clue whether they had some influence over the leader but he prayed to see Rivendell. He had amends to make and a visit long overdue.

Thorin on the other hand, fell silent. These new piece of information causing his mind to think.

"Hhmmm..."

That night, Bilbo had finished cooking and decided to check up on the boys who were sent to watch the ponies. Carrying two bowls of dinner he headed into the woods to find the brothers. They seemed adamant to leave camp for some reason. When he came close, there was sometimes that felt wrong. An alarm in his head told him that there was trouble close by. Fearing for the two boys he quickened his pace. He came close to sighing his relief when he saw them still there together. Walking up to them he said cheerily.

"Dinner's ready." He appeared between them

"Bilbo!" Fili yelped and backed away.

"We have a problem." Kili stated, ignoring his brother. "We were supposed to watch over sixteen ponies-"

The blond remembered the situation they were in and finished "now there are fourteen."


End file.
